Coach Desly Hill said the crash was, strangely, a sign of how good this former inline skater from Melbourne’s northern suburbs has become.

It happens to all the best skaters at some point, she said. They push so hard that they tip their blade into the ice.

It’s about the worse thing that you can possibly imagine to happen, after four years of training

Greig has made incredible strides in the sport, climbing fast up the ranks, especially in the last 12 months.

Only the day before he had recorded his fastest ever start over 1000m, Hill said. He trains in the Netherlands with Michel Mulder, who eventually took the gold (by just one-hundredth of a second in front of countryman Jan Smeekens).

“In training sometimes I’m in front of him,” Greig said. “Where he is in the ranking and me sitting in last, that’s a bit annoying.”

After winning gold, Mulder skated over and embraced Greig.

Greig appreciated the support from his fellow competitors, he said.

“Words don’t really help, it’s more just the presence of people who are your true friends that really helps you get through it.”

Greig can’t explain the fall. He’s never had problems before with the pressure of big competitions. Nothing felt strange. His preparation was just as focused as at the recent world championships.

“It was just an unforced error that resulted in me being on the ground.”

After falling, Greig went for a short walk, and talked to his sports psychologist.

And he decided that he would race the second race, so as not to let down the other competitors. His time was respectable, but not great – “I was just trying to put myself back together,” he said. “On the start I felt like I was going 90 per cent of my max just to make sure I didn’t end up on the ice again, because that was a scary thought in my head.”

He struggles to find a positive. “I know if I can get through this and out the other side with my determination intact – and I can manage to put a good race down in the 1000m - that’s going to make me a much better athlete overall,” he says.

On Wednesday, he competes in the 1000m – not such a favoured event, but one he is determined to give his best.

“I’m so lucky that I qualified for two events rather than one,” he said. “This is only just the beginning of my speed skating career.

“Even though I wasn’t directly competitive [today] I feel like I am one of the fastest guys on the track and it’ll show eventually.